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Ah, the guayabera. A thing of unspeakable beauty or kitsch, depending on who you talk to, its origins are as intricate and baffling as its signature stitching. Whereas North Americans often refer to it as the “Mexican wedding shirt,” Filipinos are quick to point out its similarities to their traditional barong Tagalog, or simply barong. To complicate things further, Cubans have declared the classic embroidered shirt their own, recently proclaiming the guayabera the official garment of Cuba.

The name guayabera is said to have its roots in Cuban folklore. Legend has it that a poor seamstress in the countryside made the now famous shirt for her beloved, sowing pockets large enough to carry his guava fruit (guayabas) from the field.  Coincidentally, the Thai word for guava is farang, which is also the very same word Thais use for “foreigner.” It seems especially fitting, then, that we guavas wear shirts once made for guayabas.

But what about the barong? A formal, lightweight garment of the Philippines, the barong is a centuries-old shirt that bears more than a passing resemblance to the guayabera. One thing Cubans and Filipinos have in common, though perhaps begrudgingly, are the Spanish. Did the Spaniards carry the embroidered shirts to the Philippines from the Caribbean or the other way around? Or did these disparate cultures somehow find a connection to the collective fashion unconscious? Was this simply a matter of great minds thinking alike?

For our wedding, we take no sides. If you feel the unmistakable call of the guayabera, or simply need to be able to carry your guavas wherever you go, we ask that you run with it. If a casual polo barong is more your style, by all means represent. But whatever you choose to wear, just make sure you’re comfortable, cool, and ready for the beachin’ good times.